DRIVE AWAY PRICE$411,942

2018 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Turbo quick spin review

2018 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Turbo quick spin review

What is it?

A station wagon, done Porsche-style. The Sport Turismo brings a new body style to the Panamera range, offering a little more space for back-seat occupants and greater flexibility in luggage capacity for those searching for a luxurious SUV alternative.

Best of all, in the flagship Panamera Turbo we’re testing, it hasn’t gone all Griswold and remains a genuine sports car with phenomenal performance.

How much does it cost and what do you get?

You can have any of the Panamera variants – from the entry-level V6 through plug-in E-Hybrid models up to the Turbo – in either the standard liftback or Sport Turismo body styles.

You’ll pay a small premium for the wagonesque looks, with the Sport Turismo Turbo we’re driving costing $6200 more than the equivalent sedan, at $390,700 (plus on-roads).

For that, you get almost everything Porsche has in its arsenal with a sumptuous leather-lined, four-seater cockpit with individual airconditioning settings for each occupant, heated and ventilated seats, a part digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch colour touchscreen multimedia system with a comprehensive array of functions, including sat nav, digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity and optional smartphone mirroring for Apple devices.

It rides on 21-inch alloy wheels, has adaptive suspension that can tailor its character between a comfortable cruiser and a serious corner carver and a sports exhaust that, similarly, changes its tune from a background burble to a blasting baritone.

What's under the bonnet?

The Panamera Sport Turismo Turbo is not your average station wagon as it features a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 nestled under its nose that produces 404kW of power and delivers 770Nm of torque across a wide band of engine speeds, giving it the ability to rocket from 0-100km/h in 3.8seconds and on to a top speed of 304km/h.

Related Content

While those are genuine supercar numbers, the Turbo’s monstrous pulling power also makes it an effortless limousine and, with mild hybrid properties such as stop-start and coasting function, as well as being assisted by a long-legged eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox that is linked to an advanced all-wheel-drive transmission, it can sip as little as 9.4L/100km on the claimed average cycle.

What's it like to drive?

The Sport Turismo is no different to a regular Panamera Turbo in terms of its driving character, which is to confirm that it is one seriously quick sports car that also masquerades as a luxurious limousine – or vice-versa depending on your primary reason for buying.

Ultimately, it’s not as pampering as a conventional limo, like a Mercedes-Benz S-Class for example, as the cabin isn’t quite as hushed from the outside world and its sportier character means it is a little sharper on the road. But, then again, it’s not that far off either and feels more like a flagship luxury car than the previous-generation Panamera, with the multi-stage air suspension able to iron out all but the harshest of bumps, the automatic swaps cogs seamlessly and the engine labours along effortlessly, barely ticking over above idle speeds.

But they’ll need to hang on tight when the driver decides to tap into the Turbo’s full performance potential in either Sport or Sport+ modes, as the engine delivers ferocious – and relentless – acceleration harnessed beautifully by the all-wheel-drive transmission.

It also belies its size and mass in the bends with razor-sharp handling thanks to a four-wheel steering system that makes it more agile in tight corners and brings greater stability at high speeds, as well as meaty steering, strong brakes and an array of electronic safety systems that perform a magic show behind the scenes.

What's it like inside?

As it is with the driving character, if you’re looking forward the experience is altered by the Sport Turismo’s unique body style.

That means all four occupants are treated to a truly first-class experience, each sitting in supportive and yet comfortable bucket seats, surrounded by high-quality materials like soft leather, brushed alloy and subtle carbon trim highlights and having a collection of high-tech haptic buttons to control major functions.

The overall design is much more modern than the original Panamera, and the 12.3-inch multimedia system is one of the best in the business with a logical user interface that can be configured in a multitude of ways to suit personal preferences.

But it’s the back-end of the Sport Turismo that makes it unique, and in that regard – apart from looking cool from the outside – the longer roofline means there is marginally greater headroom for those in the back seat. It also increases total luggage capacity from an already generous 500L in the liftback to 520L, but the reality is it doesn’t offer any more useable space under the cargo blind.

Is it safe?

Apart from being supremely powerful, and having tremendous handling which can help steer clear of having an accident in the first place, the Panamera Turbo is equipped with all the latest crash-avoidance systems, including adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and forward and rear collision and blind-spot warnings.

Would I buy it?

Absolutely. You’ve got to admire a station wagon that can outrun some supercars while also being a legitimately luxurious limousine. I love the shooting brake body style; it’s different without being dumpy, and even though its advantages over the regular Panamera are marginal I’d choose it because it’s unique.

What else should I consider?

Well, there’s actually nothing like the Panamera Sport Turismo if you’re looking for a direct alternative. But as far as fast limos, there’s the recently-updated Mercedes-AMG S63, the BMW M760xLi or a Maserati Quattroporte. You could also wait for the high-tech new Audi S8 or the next-generation Bentley Flying Spur due in 2019.

And then, there’s all manner of go-fast SUVs that similarly mix luxury, performance and practicality together, including the new-generation Porsche Cayenne that is arriving in local showrooms soon and its relations in the Audi SQ7, Bentley Bentayga V8 and Lamborghini Urus, plus AMG versions of the GLE and GLS and the BMW X5M.